Successful Leaders’ Top 5 Secrets for Overcoming Adversity

Dealing with adversity in life is never easy, and leaders often have a harder path than others.

Why?

As a leader, not only do you have to deal with the challenges that everyone faces as they travel the path of life – you’ll also have others looking to you as an example while you do so.

This means you’ll need to handle these hardships with grace under pressure, to continue inspiring those who rely upon your strength and vision. Fortunately, successful leaders’ top secrets to overcoming adversity can help, so let’s take a closer look at these below.

Secret #1: Look At Where You’re Going – Not Where You Are

Adversity takes many forms and can strike at any time in your life. You may be going through a divorce, grieving the loss of a loved one, be dealing with a physical disability or experience a setback in your career.

When facing these kinds of events or issues, it’s easy to let negativity overwhelm you. Having negativity all around doesn’t help either – all you have to do is turn on the news to get a concentrated report of everything that’s wrong in the world!

This type of focus is hardly productive, so don’t get stuck in the trap of wallowing in self-pity or even just thinking about your problem again and again. Instead, look at where you’re going and try to continually bring up in your mind any good that this adversity has brought you.

For example, you could make it your goal to use whatever challenge you’re facing to be an inspiration to others. Or remind yourself that you’re a stronger person for having faced it, which may help you reach greater heights than you otherwise would in the years to come. You might even start a support group or write about your experiences to help others get through it.

The idea is to use your pain and struggle by transforming it into something worthwhile, rather than just suffering for no reason (which is extremely hard to bear).

Secret #2: Coach Yourself Daily

Going hand-in-hand with focusing on the potential good your adversity can bring, you need to coach yourself daily. Begin by writing down a list of times in the past when you’ve overcome challenges or things you’ve achieved.

Doing this once may make you feel better temporarily, but the key is to do it daily. As people, we need constant reminders to stay on the best path, and the most successful leaders first lead themselves – by constantly developing personally.

Another powerful technique is to use a vision board, to literally see where you want to head as you chart your course through adversity. Some people write down their goal on an index card and carry it with them at all times, glancing at it whenever they can during the day.

You may even consider meditation in the morning, where you quiet your mind and focus on how you’d like to act and the outcome you’d like to achieve during this challenging time.

This practice can also lower your stress, which is a helpful benefit when dealing with adversity. No matter what particular technique works for you, the goal is to constantly retrain and focus your mind on your ultimate goal.

Secret #3: This Too Shall Pass

That famous phrase is excellent advice for overcoming adversity with grace, as eventually many challenges pass in one way or another. This isn’t meant to trivialise things like dealing with a terminal illness or a physical disability that isn’t going to get better.

Instead, it’s meant to remind you that there is always tomorrow, and many times whatever you’re facing will resolve itself in due course. And for those who believe in existence after death, even a health crisis or the death of a loved one isn’t the end.

Secret #4: Listen to Your Intuition

Trusting your inner voice is vital if you want to be an effective leader, as ultimately decisions are up to you. While you can ask others for their opinion, you’re the one who has to make the hard choices.

During times of adversity this trait of a successful leader will serve you well, and don’t be afraid to embrace your instincts. That might mean changing who you eat lunch with or socialise with, what books you read or even the music you listen to.

During adversity you need to be surrounded with positive people and voices, to help you rise above and not get bogged down. Then, once you’ve fed your mind with positive influences, go with whatever course of action feels correct and trust that your intuition is right.

Secret #5: Do What You’d Like to Feel

This secret sounds a bit confusing on the face of it. What does it mean? Personal development gurus all seem to have learned that your emotions can follow your actions, which is important.

This means that if you feel weighed down due to the adversity you’re going through, you can actively do something about it. You can tell your mind how to feel – instead of the other way around. How does it work?

If you feel depressed or stressed, smile broadly as often as you can. Purposely laugh out loud whenever possible, or even watch funny movies to get yourself moving in this direction.

Hold your head up high and your shoulders square. Don’t hunch over, breathe shallowly and talk in hushed tones. Hold your body in position and act with confidence, enthusiasm and vigour – and you’ll begin to feel these things deep inside.

These top secrets for dealing with adversity in life will serve you well, as you work to overcome whatever you’re facing. While going through a time of pain or setback is never fun, you can use it as an opportunity to stretch and grow stronger.

You’ve no doubt heard that it is the winds that make the oak tree send down deeper roots – allowing it to grow taller. Let this example be your guide, as you use these secrets to make the most of the challenges you’ll face in life.

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